After the reshuffling of the Union Cabinet on 7 July, Wednesday, the crucial health portfolio has been handed over to Mansukh Mandaviya. He will also be taking over the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers.
Mandaviya, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, was one of the seven who were promoted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet reshuffle.
Mandaviya's appointment to health minister comes in the backdrop of criticism over the government's handling of the second wave of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, former Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan tendered his resignation from the Cabinet along with 11 other heavyweights. Vardhan had been in charge of the health ministry as well as the science and technology ministry, which is now going to be overseen by PM Modi himself.
Until 2019, Mandaviya was the MoS for the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the Ministry of Shipping and Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
Mandaviya, who holds a degree in Political Science, was an active member of ABVP's Gujarat unit from an early age.
At the age of 28, he had became the youngest MLA in 2002.
Mandaviya was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 and then re-elected in 2018. In 2011, he became the Chairman of Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation in 2011 under Modi's state government in Gujarat.
Thereafter, in 2014, he was appointed the General Secretary of BJP's Gujarat unit. The same year he also served as Gujarat State Incharge of BJP’s High-tech & Mega Membership Drive Campaign.
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